Radio time switch



D. A. BRUTON RADIO TIME SWITCH Oct. 11, 1949.

Filed Feb. 2 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 .0 w 2 4 2 M J 2 N P. 0 ma 0 7 NF W2 .0 W 4 zllll a WY} h j D. A. BRUTON 2,484,152

RADIO TIME SWITCH Oct. 11, 1949.

Filed Feb. 2, 1945 INVENTOR.

7 (Bret/70F $6 V/a'i Afro/May;

Patented Oct. 11, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT ROF-FICE RADIO TIME SWITCHDavid A. Bruton, Albemarle, N. 0.

Application February 2, 1945, Serial No.5.75,828

(Cl. ZOO-38) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to time switches for energizing electricalequipment, and more particularly, to a time switch adapted to energize aradio receiver at predetermined time periods.

A main object of this invention is to provide an improved structure forautomatically turning on a radio receiver at predetermined times inorder that'desired scheduled radio programs may be heard.

A further object of this invention is to provide for automatic radiotime switch for turning on a radio receiver at scheduled times and formaintaining the receiver energized for the duration of the desiredprograms, automatically deenergizing the receiver at the scheduled timeof conclusion of said programs.

Further objects of this invention will appear from the followingdescription and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure l is a View in end elevation of a timeswitch in accordance withthis invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the time switch of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation of the time switch of Figure I.

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the drummember of the time switch of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5--5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a rockable lever member employed inthe time switch of Figure 1.

Many of the regularly scheduled radio programs now being broadcast areinterspersed with material undesired from the listeners standpoint, andmany listeners do not care to hear this undesired material while waitingfor a favorite program to be presented. However, unless close attentionis paid to the time, the receiver may not be turned on to provide thedesired program, especially if the listener becomes preoccupied withother activities during the period preceding the desired program. It is,therefore, a prime purpose of this invention to provide automaticenergization of the receiver at the proper time for the scheduledprogramwithout requiring the continuous attention-f the listener. Referring tothe drawings, I designates a conventional clock mechanism, the caseofwhich is secured by a bracket 2 to an-arm'3- forming part of a hollowfront end frame element 4 of a supporting structure which carries thecontrol mechanism of the switch device of this invention.

The supporting structure comprises a fiat rectangular base havingupwardly projecting therefrom the hollow front end frame element 4 and afirst rear end element 6 secured to base 5 by a screw '1. Frame element4 is perpendicular to base ii at the lower portion thereof and isaligned with end element 6. A horizontal shaft 8 is journaled betweenthe topportion of element 6 and the top portion of the vertical-part ofelement i. The upper portion of element 4 comprises parallel inclinedarms 3 and' 9 which merge at their top portions intoa horizontal 'topwall Iii. Top wall I9 is integrally united to base. 5 by a vertical sidewall H.

A second rear end frame element [2 extends upwardly from base 5 to top'wall 10, being rigid- 1y secured to said base and top wall, and isfurther provided with a transverse horizontal top portion andadownwardly projecting front portion l4 rigidly secured to top wall HI.Secured between front portion I4 andrear portion [2 is a horizontalshaft 15.

Integrally formed in side wall H is a switch housing It provided withappropriate switch means adapted tobe closed by downward movement of anactuating plunger Ilwhich is biased to an upper position by a' coiledspring l8. When plunger I1 is depressed, contact is made inside housing16 to electrically connect'wire leads l9 and Hand to close theenergizing circuit for the radio receiver.

The shaft for the hour hand of clock I extends rearwardly through theclock casing and is journaled in arms 3 and 9, said shaft being providedwith agear 2|. Gear 2| -meshes with an idler gear- 22-mounted=on asecondshaft journaled in arms 3 and 9, '-which in turn meshes with a gear 23mounted on shaft 8. Shaft 8 carries a drum member 24 rigidly mountedthereon inwardly of the frame structure. Drum member 24 is providedwithhorizontal hour markings, which, with'reference to a fixed pointer 25denote the time. 'The values of time indicated by pointer 25 are set byproperly adjusting drum 25' on shaft 8, so that they will correspondwith the values indicated by the-hour hand of clock I.

Drum member"24= isprovided with a double row of peripheral slotsZS,soarranged that the slots overlap completely around the periphery of thedrum. Said slotsQG are -adapted to receive the shank portions "29 0f cammembers' 21, said cam members being shouldered I at their 1 outerportions to bear on the outer surface of the drum member 24 While beingsecured from inside said drum member by wing nuts 28 threadedly engagedwith the shank portions 29 and bearing against washer members 30provided between.

3 wing nuts 28 and the adjacent inner surface of drum member 24.

Cam members 2'! are formed with inclined portions 3! and curved topportions 32. Pivotally mounted on shaft I5 is a lever member 33 havin acam contacting arm 34 and a plunger contacting arm 35. Lever member 33is of substantial width and intersects the vertical planes of both rowsof slots 26. Said lever member 33 is biased by spring 18 to a positionwherein the lower straight edge of cam contacting arm 34 is normallymaintained closely adjacent to the surface of drum member 24, a stopmember 36 bein formed on the lever member 33 which cooperates withhorizontal arm I3 to limit the biasing action so that said lowerstraight edge of arm 34 will not normally actually touch the drumsurface. However, as drum member 24 rotates, responsive to the action ofclock I which is transmitted to shaft 8 by gears 2|, 22 and 23, the cammembers 21, positioned at predetermined positions corresponding to timevalues in appropriate slots 26 in the drum member 24, contact arm 34 androck lever member 33, thereby causing arm 35 to depress plunger I1 andestablish electrical contact between wires l9 and 20. This contact willbe maintained until the lower contactin edge of arm 34 rides oiT the cammember 21, whereupon spring [8 causes plunger [1 to rise and open theswitch. Thus the duration of contact will depend upon the length of thetop flat portions 32 of the cam members 21, since the switch contactswill be closed only while contact arm 34 bears on said flat portions.Therefore in order to provide energization of the receiver for programsof various lengths, cam members 21 are provided having flat top portions32 of corresponding lengths. The position of said flat top portion withrespect to the calibration marks on drum member 24 will indicate thetime and duration of energization of the receiver which will be producedby a given cam member 21 in a particular position of adjustment in itsslot 26.

In operating the device, clock I is set to the correct time and thevarious cam members 21 are selected and adjusted on drum member 24 inaccordance; with the scheduled programs desired to be heard. Wire leadI9 is connected to one terminal of the receiver power switch and wirelead 29 is connected to the other terminal of said power switch, thepower switch being left in the off position. In this manner the timeswitch of this invention is substituted for the conventional radioreceiver switch, but the conventional switch may be used to energize thereceiver at any desired time independently of the time switch.

With the power switch open, the clock and gearing will rotate drummember 24, causing energization of the receiver as contact arm 34 ridesup onto the flat top portion of each cam member and deenergizin thereceiver as soon as said contact arm rides off said top portion. In thismanner the receiver is energized in accordance with the predetermineddesired schedule.

While a specific embodiment of a time switch for radio receivers andother electrical devices has been disclosed in the foregoingdescription, it will be understood that various modifications within thespirit of the invention will occurto those skilled in the art.Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the inventionother than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A time switch, comprising a support, a rotatable drum mounted uponthe support and including a periphery and a closed end and having oneend open, said periphery being graduated circumferentially in units oftime, said periphery having circumferentially extending elongated slotsco-related with the graduations, lugs mounted upon the outer face of theperiphery and wider than the slots to form shoulders engaging theperiphery, inwardly extending radial shanks carried by the lugs andprojectin through the slots to the interior of the drum, washer membersarranged within the drum and mounted upon the shanks, winged nuts withinthe drum having screw threaded engagement with the shanks and engagingthe washer members, a switch biased open and mounted upon the supportand arranged near the drum, a pivoted lever to operate the switch andarranged to contact with the lugs and be shifted thereby, and means toturn the drum.

2. A time switch, comprising a support, a rotatable drum mounted uponthe support and including a periphery and closed end and having an openend, said periphery being graduated circumferentially in units of time,said periphery being provided with a plurality of sets ofcircumferentially extending slots, the slots in one set bein staggeredwith the slots in the other set and overlapping therewith, thegraduations being common to both sets of slots, a set of lugs for eachset of slots, the lugs in each set being mounted upon the outer face ofthe periphery and wider than the slots to form shoulders engaging theperiphery, inwardly extending radial shanks carried by the lugs andprojecting through the slots to the interior of the drum, washer membersarranged within the drum and mounted upon the shanks, winged nuts withinthe drum having screw threaded engagement with the shanks and engagingthe washer members, a switch biased open arranged near the drum andmounted upon the support, a pivoted lever to operate the switch andhaving a wide end to span both sets of lugs to be engaged by both setsand moved thereby, the arrangement being such that access may be had tothe thumb nuts through the open side of the drum.

DAVID) A. BRUTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,429,525 Olden Sept. 19, 19221,873,637 Kuykendall Sept. 20, 1932 1,882,495 Hipp Oct. 11, 19322,224,792 Madison Dec. 10, 1940 V FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date642,473 Germany" Mar. 5, 1937

